The Kama Sutra of Vatsayayana | Page 4

called
'Jayamangla' a revised copy of the entire manuscript was prepared, and
from this copy the English translation was made. The following is the
certificate of the chief pundit:
'The accompanying manuscript is corrected by me after comparing four
different copies of the work. I had the assistance of a Commentary
called "Jayamangla" for correcting the portion in the first five parts, but
found great difficulty in correcting the remaining portion, because, with
the exception of one copy thereof which was tolerably correct, all the
other copies I had were far too incorrect. However, I took that portion
as correct in which the majority of the copies agreed with each other.'
The 'Aphorisms on Love' by Vatsyayana contain about one thousand
two hundred and fifty slokas or verses, and are divided into parts, parts
into chapters, and chapters into paragraphs. The whole consists of
seven parts, thirty-six chapters, and sixty-four paragraphs. Hardly
anything is known about the author. His real name is supposed to be
Mallinaga or Mrillana, Vatsyayana being his family name. At the close
of the work this is what he writes about himself:
'After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other
ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by

them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy
Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life
of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the
contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an
instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true
principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious
merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual
gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure
to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and
knowing person attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama,
without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in
everything that he may do.'
It is impossible to fix the exact date either of the life of Vatsyayana or
of his work. It is supposed that he must have lived between the first and
sixth century of the Christian era, on the following grounds. He
mentions that Satakarni Satavahana, a king of Kuntal, killed
Malayevati his wife with an instrument called kartari by striking her in
the passion of love, and Vatsya quotes this case to warn people of the
danger arising from some old customs of striking women when under
the influence of this passion. Now this king of Kuntal is believed to
have lived and reigned during the first century A.D., and consequently
Vatsya must have lived after him. On the other hand, Virahamihira, in
the eighteenth chapter of his 'Brihatsanhita', treats of the science of love,
and appears to have borrowed largely from Vatsyayana on the subject.
Now Virahamihira is said to have lived during the sixth century A.D.,
and as Vatsya must have written his works previously, therefore not
earlier than the first century A.D., and not later than the sixth century
A.D., must be considered as the approximate date of his existence.
On the text of the 'Aphorisms on Love', by Vatsyayana, only two
commentaries have been found. One called 'Jayamangla' or
'Sutrabashya', and the other 'Sutra vritti'. The date of the 'Jayamangla' is
fixed between the tenth and thirteenth century A.D., because while
treating of the sixty-four arts an example is taken from the
'Kavyaprakasha' which was written about the tenth century A.D. Again,
the copy of the commentary procured was evidently a transcript of a

manuscript which once had a place in the library of a Chaulukyan king
named Vishaladeva, a fact elicited from the following sentence at the
end of it.
'Here ends the part relating to the art of love in the commentary on the
"Vatsyayana Kama Sutra", a copy from the library of the king of kings,
Vishaladeva, who was a powerful hero, as it were a second Arjuna, and
head jewel of the Chaulukya family.'
Now it is well known that this king ruled in Guzerat from 1244 to 1262
A.D., and founded a city called Visalnagur. The date, therefore, of the
commentary is taken to be not earlier than the tenth and not later than
the thirteenth century. The author of it is supposed to be one
Yashodhara, the name given him by his preceptor being Indrapada. He
seems to have written it during the time of affliction caused by his
separation from a clever and shrewd woman, at least that is what lie
himself says at the end of each chapter. It is presumed that he called his
work after the name of his absent mistress, or the word may